Experimenter is a magazine created by EAA for people who build airplanes. We will report on amateur-built aircraft as well as ultralights and other light aircraft.
Issue link: http://experimenter.epubxp.com/i/178050
N e w s Fr o m H Q Small Airplane Revitalization Act Passes House, Heads to Senate The Small Airplane Revitalization Act, introduced in May by Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-KS), passed the House 411-0 in mid-July and will now head to the Senate. The Senate bill is sponsored by Sen. Amy Klobuchar (DMN). The legislation would compel the FAA to adopt the recommendations presented by the Part 23 Reorganization Advisory and Rulemaking Committee (ARC), of which EAA was a member. The Part 23 ARC, composed of association and industry representatives, recommended sweeping changes to the certification and maintenance of light aircraft as well as the parts and avionics approved for installation. A major concern for the ARC was that outdated certification standards were preventing manufacturers from creating and successfully marketing new safety equipment for light aircraft. "It is not helping aviation when mature safety technology like airbags, inflatable shoulder harnesses, and wing levelers cannot be retrofitted in small aircraft because no manufacturer can spend the huge amount of money necessary to certify the devices for individual legacy airframes," said Sean Elliott, vice president of EAA advocacy and safety. "The certification rules, originally designed to enhance safety, are actually a hindrance and are acting against the best interests of advancing pilot situational awareness and increasing accident survivability with technology." If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law, the FAA would most likely create a new noncommercial category for aircraft equipped with parts and avionics that did not undergo the traditional certification process. Rep. Pompeo, a steadfast advocate for GA in the House, urged senators to "pass this common-sense regulation." "By focusing on common-sense regulatory reform, we can strengthen general aviation while not taking a dime from the American taxpayer. That's a win-win." Pompeo said. "These new streamlined regulations will decrease costs, increase safety, and improve global competitiveness." FAA Releases New Residential Through the Fence Policy, Toolkit The FAA released a new residential through the fence (RTTF) tool kit in late July, which provides a convenient method for complying with the new policy recently released in the Federal Register. cial RTTF agreements to be violations of grant assurances. EAA and other associations worked closely and successfully with Congress and the FAA to revise the interpretation of the law. The policy comes on the heels of Public Law 112-95, sections of which prohibit the FAA from finding a GA airport sponsor in violation of federal grant assurances because the sponsor enters into an RTTF agreement. The updated policy permits the creation of new GA RTTF agreements, provided they are compliant with the law. The toolkit, which contains access agreement review sheets, recommendations for sponsors, official interpretations of the law, and sample agreements, is designed to help sponsors and applicants create successful, legal agreements with minimal agency interference. The recently released policy is the implementation of the relevant sections of that law and a significant departure from previous FAA policy, which considered even noncommer- 12 Vol.2 No.9 / Sep tember 2013 Under the new policy, existing com- mercial through the fence agreements are grandfathered into the law, while new commercial agreements are prohibited. "EAA is pleased that the FAA established a clear interpretation of the law and a policy that permits new GA RTTF agreements," said Jonathan Harger, EAA government advocacy specialist. "We believe that noncommercial access to airports, apart from being a property rights issue, is a vital element of recreational flying that promotes a healthy airport community. We are happy that the FAA provided this toolkit to help people exercise their right to have airport access."